Medical Assisting Programs Near Phoenix, AZ: What Are the Top Schools?
Find out which Phoenix schools offer medical assisting programs. See requirements and school information, and learn about the job prospects for a medical assisting career in the Phoenix area. Schools offering Medical Assisting degrees can also be found in these popular choices.
Career Information for Phoenix Medical Assistants
Licensure and certification are not required to work as a medical assistant in Arizona. However, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employers prefer to hire certified medical assistants. The American Association of Medical Assistants and other professional organizations offer certification options. Formal training in medical assisting is a typical eligibility requirement for certification.
Salary and Job Outlook
According to 2011 BLS data, the metropolitan Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale area had one of the highest levels of employed medical assistants in the country. The BLS reported that there were 7,630 assistants who earned a mean annual wage of around $32,000, which was about $2,000 above the national average for medical assistants in 2011. National job growth for this occupation was projected by the BLS to be 31% during the 2010-2020 decade. The flexible role of medical assistants coupled with the healthcare needs of the nation's increasing elderly population was expected to drive this job growth.
Medical Assisting Certificate Programs in the Phoenix Area
Phoenix College
- Program: Certificate of Completion in Medical Assisting
- Program Length: Roughly 9 months, full time (2-3 semesters)
- Tuition: $76 per credit hour for Maricopa County residents; $317 for out-of-county and out of state residents (tuition for July 2012-June 2013)
- Prerequisites: Medical terminology course
- Admission Requirements: CPR certification, proof of immunity, health declaration form, fingerprint clearance card and placement testing
- School Type: 2-year, public; roughly 13,000 students (all undergrads)
- Address: 1202 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013
- Phone: (602) 264-2492
The certificate program at Phoenix College prepares you for an entry-level position with clinical and administrative duties. You'll learn how to work with electronic health records, medical insurance, billing and coding, and office management. On the clinical side, you will learn about bodily systems, medical emergencies, phlebotomy, lab testing and medicine administration. You'll gain experience through a phlebotomy practicum, administrative externship and clinical externship. The school also offers a related medical front office certificate program.
Central Arizona College
- Program: Medical Assistant Certificate
- Program Length: 3 semesters
- Tuition: $72 per credit for AZ residents; $144 per credit for nonresidents (tuition for 2012-2013)
- Admission Requirements: Score of 70 or higher on the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) exams, and Central Arizona College (CAC) entrance tests
- School Type: 2-year, public; about 7,500 undergrads
- Address: Superstition Mountain Campus, 273 Old West Highway, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
- Phone: (480) 677-7787
Central Arizona College's certificate program begins in August of each year. The curriculum covers both clinical and administrative occupational functions. You'll take courses in anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology and medical terminology. In addition, you will learn about healthcare law, administrative procedures and insurance. The program concludes with a summer practicum experience. Although CAC's health careers programs are administered out of the Superstition Mountain Campus in Apache Junction, which is about 40 miles east of Phoenix, medical assisting courses may be held at CAC's other campuses as well.
Medical Assisting Associate's Degree Programs in the Phoenix Area
Phoenix College
- Program: Associate in Applied Science in Medical Assisting
- Program Length: 2 years
- Tuition: $76 per credit hour for Maricopa County residents; $317 for out-of-county and out-of-state residents (for July 2012-June 2013)
- Prerequisites: Medical terminology course
- Admission Requirements: CPR certification, proof of immunity, health declaration form, fingerprint clearance card and placement testing
- School Type: 2-year, public; roughly 13,000 students (all undergrads)
- Address: 1202 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013
- Phone: (602) 264-2492
The coursework in Phoenix College's associate's degree program mirrors that of the certificate option. It also includes 8-14 credits of electives, which allows you to pursue courses in Spanish, communications, nutrition, psychology and a variety of health and wellness subjects. You'll complete general education courses to round out the degree program. Phoenix College offers this medical assisting program during the day and evening.
Central Arizona College
- Program: Medical Assistant Associate in Applied Science
- Program Length: 2 years
- Tuition: $72 per credit for AZ residents; $144 per credit for nonresidents (tuition for 2012-2013)
- Prerequisites: Pre-program major courses and general education courses
- Admission Requirements: HESI exams with score of 70 or better and CAC entrance tests
- School Type: 2-year, public; about 7,500 undergrads
- Address: Superstition Mountain Campus, 273 Old West Highway, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
- Phone: (480) 677-7787
The associate's degree in medical assisting curriculum contains the same courses as the certificate programs with an additional 29 credits. To gain admittance to the degree program, you must complete courses in biology, computer information systems, English, communications, math and psychology among others. Additionally, you'll need to take pre-program major courses in keyboarding, word processing and medical terminology. Earning the associate's degree requires a summer practicum experience.
To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:
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